The actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeather has accepted an apology from the Oscars nearly 50 years after she was booed off stage.
In 1973 she took to the stage in a standard buckskin gown to show down an Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando after which made a speech in regards to the movie business’s mistreatment of Native Americans.
A minute in to her speech she was booed off the stage and for many years was boycotted by the movie business.
However, earlier this 12 months the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences apologised to Littlefeather in a letter and on Saturday at an occasion in her honour in Los Angeles the 75-year-old was applauded as she took to the stage.
“Well, I made it. It took 50 years,” she mentioned on the occasion, entitled “An evening with Sacheen Littlefeather” and which featured Native American performances.
In 1973 Littlefeather had been requested to go to the Oscars by her buddy Marlon Brando who had received the Best Actor award for taking part in Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
She mentioned that when she began to talk the viewers booed and a few mocked her with the chopping sound of a tomahawk and the whoops of “Indians”.
“Big John Wayne was ready to attack me. He had to be held back by six security guards,” she mentioned.
At the weekend’s occasion the Academy’s letter of apology was learn out: “As you stood on the Oscars stage in 1973 to not accept the Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando, in recognition of the misrepresentation and mistreatment of Native American people by the film industry, you made a powerful statement that continues to remind us of the necessity of respect and the importance of human dignity,” it mentioned.
She responded, “I am accepting this apology not only for me alone, but an acknowledgement not only for me, but all of our [Native American] nation. Our nation needs to hear this apology.”
Source: information.sky.com”